


His Highness

by MagicalMush



Series: The Miraculous Monarch AU [1]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Action, Butterflies, Comedy, F/M, Gen, Introversion, Miraculous Monarch AU, Peacock Miraculous, Same old Ladybug but not really, minimal romance, puns
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-09
Updated: 2018-10-21
Packaged: 2019-07-28 13:40:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,380
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16242782
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MagicalMush/pseuds/MagicalMush
Summary: Bank robbers? The Peacock Miraculous? It's just another day in the life of Ladybug, Chat Noir, and Monarch.Wait, Monarch? Who's that?





	1. Just Another Day

It was your average recess period in the schoolyard at Françoise Dupont. A girl with two raven ponytails sat on a bench conversing with a girl with long brown locks. By the stairs to the second floor sat a very famous face, laughing in conversation with a boy wearing headphones around his neck.

And in the corner, lounging in the shade, sat a tall boy with black hair, in a blue hoodie. With earbuds in his ears, eyes trained on his phone screen, and a frown on his face, he looked quite satisfied with never talking to anyone ever again. This was working out well so far, as no one had so much as looked at him for the entirety of the period.

Suddenly, he jolted upright, staring at his screen with alarm. He leapt to his feet in a flash, then, stopping as if to catch himself, made his way to the stairs considerably more slowly. He needn't have bothered - no one had noticed him anyway.

* * *

 “So, are you going to tell him?” Alya smirked.

“Are you crazy? No way!” Marinette winced, worriedly hiding the notebook behind her back.

“You’re telling me you’d rather sneak Adrien’s lost notebook back into his locker than take credit for finding it?” Alya teased. “Girl, this would score you so many brownie points with him!”

Marinette gulped, glancing over to the steps where Adrien sat laughing with Nino. “I know, I know,” she said, “but didn’t you hear that rumor? About – “

“How he’s got a secret girlfriend? Do you seriously believe that?” Alya rolled her eyes. “Mari, I was all over him when I found about that, and I couldn’t get him to admit to anything. Nothing from Nino either, and that boy’s a terrible liar.”

“But what if it’s true?” Marinette sighed, her grip on the book slipping. “Adrien has been looking really happy lately…” She looked over to him again and smiled. “I’d hate to take that away from him.”

Alya blinked. “Okay, returning somebody’s property is not the same as flirting with them.”

“But it’ll look like I like him!”

“Isn’t that a good thing?”

“Yes… I MEAN NO! I mean… ugh!” Marinette slumped down in her seat. “It’s not a good thing when he already loves somebody!”

“Which you’re just assuming is true.”

“You don’t know it isn’t!”

“You won’t know it is unless you ask him about it!”

Marinette growled. Her friend had a point. She felt a small warmth from the bag at her hip – Tikki showing her support. She sighed resignedly.

“All right, all right,” she relented, “I’ll give this to him.”

But as Alya did a little victory dance, saying something about how she’d better ask him something, Marinette’s attention was swiftly diverted. Something was perched on the nearest corner of the roof. A butterfly.

“…r-right after I use the bathroom!” Marinette stuttered, pushing the book hastily into Alya’s hands.

“What?!” Alya yelled, more than a little confused. “Girl, you can NOT just escape this like that!”

“I’m not! I’ll be back soon, I promise!” Marinette called back, already racing towards the stairs to the roof. “Hold onto the book for me!”

Alya crossed her arms, but smiled. “That’s not even the way to the bathroom.”

Neither girl noticed Adrien run off, making a similarly bad excuse to Nino.

* * *

 Marinette made it to the roof in record time. Taking cover behind an air duct, she poked her head around to confirm the butterfly hadn’t moved. It still sat there, fluttering its wings lazily.

“Tikki, spots on!” Marinette whispered, closing her eyes as her costume formed around her. Not a moment later, Ladybug rose to her feet, and approached the butterfly slowly. “Hi, little butterfly,” she said softly.

At the sound of her voice, the butterfly rose, and flapped slowly towards her. She grabbed her yo-yo from her hip and held it out in front of her, in her palm, arm outstretched. The butterfly alighted on the yo-yo, and with a flash, merged with it. Ladybug’s arm became suffused in a bright light, and the purple symbol of a butterfly appeared in front of her mask.

 _Ladybug! There you are,_ said a friendly voice in her head. _I am consistently impressed by how quickly my akumas find you._

“Well, you know me, Monarch,” said Ladybug, smiling, “I’m always on the lookout for them.”

 _I should really expect that by now,_ the voice laughed. _Now where’s our friend, the cat?_

 ** _Present and accounted for,_** piped up a third voice. **_For what do I owe the purr-leasure of this meeting?_**

_Ooh, breaking out the puns already? We must be feeling generous today._

**_Hey, I can’t help it if I spy the purr-fect opportunity!_ **

_I’m curious… would it kill the cat to add a little variety to his jokes?_

“Girls, girls, you’re both pretty,” Ladybug laughed. “Can you answer Chat’s question, _papillon_?”

 _Right, right, right._ Monarch cleared his throat. _There’s been a report of a robbery of the bank on Rue Lord Byron._

**_I know that place! Byblos, right?_ **

_Yes. There was only one witness, the bank teller, but she said she was coerced into opening the vault by two men with blue feathers in their hats._

“Kujaku,” Ladybug whispered, hearing Chat Noir hiss the same name.

_Seems that way._

**_How long ago was this?_ **

_About twenty minutes ago. Knowing him, their trail will still be fresh._

“Seriously? How do you find out about this stuff so fast?”

 _My sources are simply the best._ Ladybug could practically feel Monarch’s smirk on the other end of the psychic link.

 ** _Well, what are we waiting for?_** Chat Noir grinned too. **_Time for this cat to go catch a bird._**

“Whatever you do, Chat, please don’t give him to me as a gift,” Ladybug teased.

**_Hey, I only did that once! I learned my lesson!_ **

“I don’t know, you’re still a silly kitty,” Ladybug snickered.

_All right, lovebirds, I’m sending you coordinates now. Don’t be late!_

Ladybug tutted, but said nothing as a location entered her head.

“On my way,” she declared, and took off swinging.

* * *

It didn’t take long for them to track the robbers down. The bank’s front door had been blown wide open, and a telltale trail of 20-euro notes crossed the crime scene, so far untouched by the police. Ladybug and Chat Noir only had to pause there for a moment, note the direction of the trail, wave hello to the police and a few star-struck onlookers, and leap off down the avenue.

“See anything, Chat?” Ladybug called, mid-leap.

“Nothing so far,” Chat replied, effortlessly retracting his baton and preparing for landing. “My vision isn’t particularly special in the daylight.”

 _Seems that part’s up to me,_ Monarch chimed in, purple outlines appearing around the heroes’ faces. _Charlie’s got a read on Kujaku’s Miraculous. Follow the butterfly._

Right on cue, Ladybug spied a flutter of wings turning down a side street.

“Chat! There!” she cried.

“On it!” The pair rounded the corner with no loss in momentum, running after the white butterfly as it gracefully swooped around corner after corner, until it finally came to rest upon a fire escape, neighboring a tiny, dark alleyway.

“He’s in there?” Ladybug asked, as she and Chat stopped on the roof of the building.

_Trust me, my signal’s never been wrong. The Peafowl Miraculous is in this alley._

Ladybug looked at Chat pointedly. “Ready, kitty?”

“As I’ll ever be, my lady,” Chat winked, but there was a hint of steel in his eyes. “ _Et tu_ , Monarch?”

 _Right here with you,_ came the reply. _Shall I count you down?_

“Please,” Ladybug grinned.

_3…_

_2…_

_1…_

_Go!_

The heroes swung around the corner of the alley and landed back to back, weapons drawn and glowing fiercely, to find… nothing.

“Pssh, did we scare them away already?” Chat quipped.

“Careful, Chat. Keep your guard up.”

“My baton’s still out, Ladybug.”

 _I’m still getting the signal,_ Monarch said, no trace of worry in his voice. _They must be hiding somewhere. Check for trapdoors._

Keeping their backs together, Ladybug and Chat Noir slowly shuffled further into the shadows, never looking down but probing the street with their feet. It wasn’t long before Chat’s shoe hit something with a _clank_.

Chat jumped. “Ladybug! I’ve got something.” He looked down to see a small metal handle bolted to the ground. As Chat looked closer, he could see a seam in the asphalt around the handle, large enough for someone to stand in.

“Bingo,” Chat grinned. “I’m going to open it. Stand back, my lady.”

“But Chat, shouldn’t I?” Ladybug’s eyes shot to her partner, concerned. “I mean, you don’t have the best luck with this kind of thing.”

Chat’s grin faltered, but he tried his best to hold it. "My lady, I've got nine lives, and you've only got one. Please, allow me."

Before Ladybug could argue, Chat knelt down and, with a quick tug, pulled open the hatch...

And stared down the barrel of a gun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is my first piece of writing in a long while. I'd love some feedback, good or bad. I'm definitely going to finish this story, but let me know if you want to see this universe expanded!


	2. Action in the Alley

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ladybug and Chat Noir get into quite the scuffle! A villain reveals himself! Will the heroes prevail? Or will they need a bit of help?

**_BANG._ ** _Ka-pwing._ **thud.**

Chat Noir had never considered himself lucky. In fact, quite the opposite. So as he lay, dazed but unhurt, against the alley wall, he gave a quick, silent _thank you_ to every sort of god he could think of.

 _“CHAT!”_ Ladybug screamed, having just watched a gun fired at Chat Noir’s face from point-blank range. She raced over to her fallen partner and grabbed his shoulders. _“Are you okay!?”_ she yelled, shaking him a bit more violently than she meant to. _“Talk to me!”_

“Uggh… I’m okay,” Chat groaned, eyes locking onto Ladybug’s as his brain un-scrambled itself. “I guess my mask is bulletproof.” He caught sight of the offending bullet, embedded in the opposite wall. “But I think I just spent all my luck for the next year.”

Ladybug sighed in open relief. “I’m so sorry, Chat, I -”

“Heh, guess I’ll aim for the mouth this time.”

Ladybug whirled, yoyo flying forth from her hand. In a flash, her yoyo had wrapped itself around the source of the voice – a huge, burly man who had clambered up from the trapdoor. With his arms tied, his pistol clattered to the ground. Ladybug instantly noticed the bright blue feather tucked in the cap on his head.

“You just made a _big_ mistake, whoever you are,” Ladybug glared, her voice cold and dangerous. “Let’s not do something else we’ll regret.”

“Yeah, was robbing a bank not enough crime for one day?” Chat asked weakly, shifting forward onto one knee.

The thug grinned, revealing several missing teeth. “Youse guys is the ones the boss wanted us to find,” he rasped, struggling against his bonds. “The bank’s chump change.”

Ladybug was about to reply with something witty, until Monarch’s voice popped into her head.

_Careful, Ladybug! There were two robbers at the bank!_

As if on cue, a second man leapt out from the trapdoor, right behind the first. With inhuman speed, he picked up his partner around the waist and _hurled_ him, still grinning, right at Ladybug. As she dodged right and Chat dodged left, her yoyo cord went slack, and the first robber tore himself free, slamming into the wall with a _crunch_. He pushed himself out from a sizable dent in the brick – and he was _laughing_.

“Geez, what’s this guy made of?” Chat gaped, scrambling up the wall with his claws.

“Two-hundred seventy pounds’a PAIN, scaredy-cat!” the man roared, slamming his huge fist into the wall. The resulting shudder nearly made Chat loses his grip.

“Hold on, Chat!” Ladybug yelled. As the robber pulled back for another strike, Ladybug slung her yoyo around his arm and pulled, tugging the man backwards. He turned and looked toward her murderously.

Ladybug smirked. “You’ll have to try harder than -”

_Ladybug! The gun!_

**_BANG_** went the gun, from the second robber’s hand.

The shot sent Ladybug flying sideways into the brick. She grunted in pain, shock radiating from her shoulder, where the bullet had struck her. She barely had time to register that the bullet had ricocheted before she was pinned to the wall by robber #1’s ham-fist. She wheezed, winded.

“Now hold still, ya little gnat,” he snickered, as robber #2 strolled up to them, gun leveled at her neck.

_“CATACLYSM!”_

Chat was a blur. In one lightning-fast movement, he leaped down from the wall and slapped the pistol out of the robber’s hand. It was dust before it hit the ground.

“Why you -” he began, but was silenced by a swift kick to the jaw as Chat sprung off his hands. Caught off-balance, he staggered back.

“Bro!” the first robber shouted, turning to swing a fist at the hero. He seemed to forget, however, that this fist had been holding down Ladybug. A moment later, he too was sent lurching as Ladybug’s own fist connected with his ear.

“Thanks, kitty,” she said, catching her breath. “I really owe you one.”

“Don’t worry about me!” Chat replied, looking shocked that she would suggest such a thing. “These guys are still conscious!”

 _And now we have a time limit,_ Monarch added. _Chat’s used his Cataclysm._

“Ugh, you’re right,” Ladybug groaned. _But,_ she thought, _I still have a second while these guys get back up…_

“LUCKY CHARM!” Ladybug sang, casting her yoyo skyward with an explosion of energy –

“GET DOWN!” Chat screamed, tackling her to the ground just as a blue flash whizzed by right where her neck had been. Her Lucky Charm dissipated uselessly.

Monarch cursed. _Maybe I can… Look out!_

As the blue object spun back like a boomerang, Chat leapt up and spun his baton, deflecting it yet again. This time, it flew back into the darkness down the alley – and a hand reached up to catch it.

Chat froze. Ladybug, pulling herself to her feet, froze. Even the thug brothers froze, smiles of anticipation plastered on their mugs.

A male figure stepped forward from the shadows, dressed like a mob boss in a pinstriped blue suit. A wide-brimmed hat with a feather in it topped his head, and a hook-nosed mask covered his eyes. His left hand, still outstretched, held a blue-feathered fan, matching the larger one that adorned the tail of his coat. On his left breast, a peacock pin sat gleaming.

“Hello, heroes,” he smiled devilishly.

 _“Kujaku,”_ Ladybug and Chat Noir said in unison.

Monarch said nothing.

* * *

Byblos Bank, on Rue Lord Byron, was swarming with police. The building’s entrance was taped off, and detectives were still gathering evidence from the crime scene. Around the entrance, more officers stood in a perimeter, pushing back the gathered crowd. Right next to the entrance sat a young woman on a bench, recovering from the officers’ intense questioning. The events of thirty minutes before played again and again in her memory...

> In the last year working at Byblos, Aria Tranche had never seen the place so empty. She felt a bit awkward sitting behind the desk, with literally nothing to do. She sighed, wishing someone would walk in and give her a reason to be there.
> 
> Of course, that was the moment two huge men walked in, blue feathers in their caps. She perked up, putting on her well-practiced smile as they sauntered up to the desk. “Good afternoon,” Aria began, “how may I – I-I-I…”
> 
> Her smile disappeared and her throat ran dry as the pair pulled two pistols from their back pockets.
> 
> “Afternoon,” the one on her left chuckled, pointing his pistol toward her. “Open the vault for us, will ya, doll?”
> 
> Aria’s face went deathly white. All but frozen, she slowly reached for the alarm hidden behind the desk.
> 
> “Oh, and don’t do anythin’ dumb,” the right thug threatened, shaking his own pistol. “Or you’ll be swimmin’ with the fishies.”
> 
> Aria froze entirely now. She considered her three options:
> 
> She could trigger the noisy alarm, and get shot.
> 
> She could shout for help, and get shot.
> 
> She could do what they asked, and maybe not get shot.
> 
> When she thought about it, there was really only one option.
> 
> She slowly opened the desk drawer, pulling out an antique brass keyring. Byblos was a very old bank, and its vault hadn’t been updated since the early 1900s. Shaking, she held out the keys to the robbers.
> 
> “What’d we say, girlie?” Righty said, not moving his gun. “You open it.”
> 
> Forcing her body to move, Aria stood, walked across the length of the desk, and turned to face the huge vault door. She inserted two keys into two keyholes, and turned them. With a clunk, the door swung open.
> 
> “Thank you much,” Lefty laughed. “Now you sit back down and wait ‘til we’re done.”
> 
> Aria could do nothing but sit as the robbers produced two sacks, and stuffed them with stacks of cash. Before she knew it, the men had gone, taking most of the contents of the vault with them.
> 
> For a moment, she could scarcely breathe. Then she slammed the alarm button.

That was thirty minutes ago, but it felt like hours had passed after all the questions the police had thrown at her. Now Aria sat, sniffling, as she looked down at the keyring clasped in her hands.

 _I’m useless,_ she thought. _I was the only thing between the crooks and the cash, and I just… let them through._ And now Ladybug and Chat Noir would have to catch them instead. She winced at the thought. _I just wish I could do something… anything… to help._

As a tear slid down her cheek, Aria failed to notice the white butterfly circling down from the sky above her, until it flew right in front of her face. Startled, she watched transfixed as it landed on her keyring, and with a flash, melted into it. As the ring began to glow, a purple symbol framed her face.

 _Testing, testing, one, two, one, two,_ a voice echoed in her head. _This is Monarch. A little butterfly told me you’re feeling useless, and that’s something I can’t abide. Ladybug and Chat Noir are in danger from the very same thieves you met today. If you’re willing, I can give you the power to help them._

Hope fluttered in Aria’s chest, but it caught in her throat. “A-are you sure?” she stammered. “I couldn’t do anything except unlock the vault for those two... those two…”

Somehow, she could feel Monarch smile. _Trust me,_ he said warmly, _when you’re working with me, there won’t be a vault in Paris you can’t lock._

An idea took form within Aria’s mind, and she gasped with wonder as her hope finally entered her brain. She smiled and nodded. “Okay.”

 _Good answer,_ Monarch grinned, as a white light enveloped her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another cliffhanger, I'm sorry. But I won't keep you waiting for long, I promise :)


	3. Resolution

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The fight reaches its climax. Who will be victorious?

“How nice of you to follow my signal once again,” Kujaku crooned, raising his eyebrows when the heroes gasped. “That’s right, I know about your little butterfly friend,” he continued. “Why do you think I got help this time?” He gestured to the grinning thugs, who had shuffled behind the two, blocking off the alley entrance.

“These guys? Pfft,” Chat grinned, but his eyes showed no levity. “You could do better.”

“Hardly,” Kujaku replied. “They robbed the bank and got away. They lured you two here. I’d say they’ve done their job.”

The thugs whooped their approval.

“No one messes with the Cannonball Brothers!” one yelled.

“We ain’t got iron skulls for nothin’!” the other added, knocking his fist on his temple.

“But they didn’t kill us,” Ladybug said, glancing frontward and backward, trying not to get caught off guard. “Isn’t that what you want?”

Kujaku shrugged. “Honestly, I’d rather do that bit myself.” And he flung his fan at Ladybug.

**_CLANG_ **

The fan hit the ground in an instant, pinned to the asphalt by a bronze rod.

“Please. You’ve been running loose long enough,” said an unfamiliar voice.

Kujaku cursed, looking up toward the source of the voice with hatred. The Cannonball Brothers followed his gaze, warily. Ladybug and Chat did too, but with smiles on their faces.

A female figure stood on the roof above, clad in form fitting chain mail. Thick bronze cuffs encircled her wrists and ankles, and thick chains snaked up her legs and arms, all linked together with a comically large padlock on her torso. A knight’s helmet covered her head and eyes, but didn’t hide her grin.

“Another wannabe,” Kujaku sighed, trying poorly to paste on a smile. “So just who are you supposed to be?”

“I’m the one who’s gonna make you chickens a brand new coop,” the heroine proclaimed, jingling the keys around her neck. “Call me Locksmith.” And with that, Locksmith leapt off the building and dove towards Kujaku.

The villain wasted no time. He swept his coat-tail in an arc, sending a flurry of dagger-sharp feathers towards his attacker. Without pause, Locksmith produced a long chain and whipped it in front of her, blocking the assault. But before she could reach Kujaku, a pair of huge hands grabbed her waist and tugged her from the air.

“Nice try, doll,” the first Cannonball Brother grinned, squeezing her torso like a vice. “Let’s see if you can get out of this one.”

Locksmith grinned back. “Actually, let’s see _you_ get out of _this_.”

The chain around her waist twisted as if it had come to life, stretching and wrapping around the thug’s wrists and pulling them apart. Before he could react, the chains had melted into solid cuffs, and Locksmith had her hands free to throw a punch.

And wouldn’t you know it, a punch from a bronze fist really hurts.

In one second, the thug was flat on his back. In two seconds, he was entirely bound in chains.

“That’s a wrap,” Locksmith quipped.

“Oh my good gracious, the puns from this girl,” Chat Noir exclaimed from his perch on the second Cannonball Brother’s head. That thug was sitting slack-jawed against the brick, all tied up by Ladybug’s yo-yo. “Monarch, you really know how to pick ‘em.”

 _I try,_ Monarch smiled in his head, as Locksmith wrapped up the second thug as well.

“Watch it, guys!” Ladybug cried, running towards Kujaku. “We’re not through yet!”

Unfortunately, Kujaku had spent the last five seconds pulling two new fans from his coat. “I think you mean **I’m** not through yet!” he shouted, brandishing them and smiling maniacally.

The three heroes, side by side, ran towards their adversary, ready for whatever he could throw at them.

A fan sent directly for Ladybug’s neck? Expertly parried by a swipe from Chat Noir.

A fan in a sweeping arc, set to slice all their suits open? Effortlessly deflected by Ladybug’s kick.

Blades hidden within Kujaku’s sleeves? No match for Locksmith’s armor.

It was three versus one. Really, the match had already been decided. Within moments, Kujaku was on his knees, arms and legs chained and locked, defeat on his face.

“Pound it!” Ladybug and Chat Noir smiled and fist-bumped. Hesitating only for a second, Locksmith joined in too, with a little yelp of glee.

“So, now that we’ve caught you, you pretty little peacock,” Chat Noir sauntered up to the glaring villain, “you have two options. One, give us your Miraculous. Two, let us take your Miraculous.” Chat smiled his toothiest smile. “May I remind you that cats are natural predators of birds.”

But Kujaku’s expression melted into a devious grin. “I thought cats were supposed to have excellent vision? I’m surprised you can’t see option number three.”

As Chat’s face turned to suspicion and the heroines readied their weapons again, Kujaku whispered one word:

_“Shimmer.”_

And with that, Kujaku’s form exploded into a whirlwind of iridescent feathers. The light reflected from them was disorienting, blinding even. Chat Noir’s hands leapt to cover his eyes, and Ladybug pulled him back by his tail instinctively. When the feathers faded, Kujaku was nowhere to be seen, his restraints lying uselessly on the ground.

Ladybug gasped, hands covering her mouth.

Monarch cursed over the psychic link. _So that’s how he’s been getting away._

“Urgh! We had him this time!” Chat threw up his claws in frustration.

Locksmith said nothing, staring at the empty space where the peacock had been.

Ladybug quickly snapped out of her shock, moving over to Locksmith and placing a hand on her shoulder. “Hey… are you okay?”

Aria Tranche shivered in her suit, a tear running down from her visor. “I couldn’t catch him,” she whispered, her voice wavering. “I was given this power for a reason and… it wasn’t enough.” She dropped to her knees. “Why am I still… so… useless?”

Ladybug dropped to her level, prepared to refute every bit of depression this girl had in her head –

_Now hold on a minute!_

Ladybug paused as Monarch’s symbol appeared before their faces. Aria looked up, startled.

 _Locksmith, I did not give you that power just so you could defeat the big bad villain we’ve been chasing for months. That’d be_ way _too much pressure for someone’s first day. I simply brought out the power already in you – the part of you that wished to help us, the heroes. And look at what you_ have _done with it!_

Aria turned, and saw Chat Noir standing smugly atop the chained Cannonball Brothers. “Monarch’s right,” he said. “That was the fastest chain-slinging I’ve ever seen. The police couldn’t have done it better.”

Aria turned to Ladybug, who smiled and nodded. “You really turned the tide of that fight, Locksmith. Chat used his power, and I used mine. Without you, we might have been defeated… or worse.”

Aria gasped, sliding her visor up to reveal her wide eyes. “You mean… I saved you?”

 _Without a doubt,_ Monarch confirmed, _as I knew you would._

“And next time the nasty bird shows up, we’ll be waiting for him,” Chat added.

As Aria became awash in a plethora of emotions, mostly good ones, she became acutely aware that there were people outside the alley – cameramen, newscasters, policemen – all watching the scene with _intense_ interest.

Ladybug chuckled. “Looks like you’ve already got fans.” She took Aria’s hand and brought her to her feet, then held out her yo-yo. “Shall we give them something to talk about?”

Aria, suddenly understanding, broke out into a broad smile. She nodded, taking hold of the yo-yo. In one movement, the two heroes threw the yo-yo into the air, shouting:

**“Miraculous Ladybug!”**

They watched as Ladybug’s magical swarm took to the air, zooming down the street and to the Byblos Bank, where all the stolen cash was suddenly replaced, all the damage repaired, and the vault locked once again.

The onlookers cheered, and Aria heard Monarch’s voice once more.

 _Well, Aria, I believe it’s time for us to part ways. But I’m sure we’ll meet again one day. You’re always welcome back on the team._ Monarch’s good will was palpable, and Aria was feeling better by the minute.

 _Farewell, Locksmith,_ Monarch finished.

“Farewell, Monarch,” Aria replied, as her costume dissolved, reforming into a white butterfly, slowly flapping away into the sky. The crowd oohed and aahed as they beheld her true identity.

Aria turned to Ladybug and Chat Noir. “Thank you both,” she said, holding back happy tears. “For everything.”

“No, thank you,” the heroes said together, laughing at each other. Aria chuckled a bit herself.

“You’re a hero, Locksmith,” Ladybug smiled warmly. “Now go tell the world.”

Armed without superpowers but with all the confidence in the world, Aria Tranche strode towards the awaiting throngs, and the crowd exploded with cheers and questions. But the heroes were distracted by two telltale beeps – from Chat’s ring and Ladybug’s earrings.

Chat sighed dramatically. “Oh, parting is such sweet sorrow, my lady,” he crooned, clutching his claws to his chest. “How I wish we weren’t bound by the walls of our identities!”

Ladybug rolled her eyes. “Chat, you know full well what I’m going to say.”

“I know, you’re not quite ready, and I respect that,” Chat answered with a smile, loosening his pose. “But whenever you reconsider, I’ll be here.”

Ladybug smiled back. “Oh Chat, I know you’ll always be here for me anyway.”

“I know you know, that’s why I didn’t have to say it.”

They looked into each other’s eyes for a moment before Ladybug gave Chat a quick peck on the cheek. She was somewhat surprised to see Chat turn as red as a tomato, until she registered the fact that the crowd was roaring and whistling. Despite herself, she turned as red as her suit.

 _…Do you have to do that while I’m still here?_ Monarch added unhelpfully.

As flustered as she was, Ladybug managed to squeak out a somewhat heroic “Bug out!” before zipping off to make her escape. The crowd closed in on the poor, flustered kitten she had left behind.

“Chat Noir! Are you and Ladybug in a romantic relationship?”

“Will Kujaku return? Is Paris safe?”

“What is the significance of the bank being robbed?”

“Who is your ally, Monarch?”

But Chat Noir only managed a grin and a wink before he vaulted into the air, away from the tide of unanswerable questions.

* * *

 

Ladybug touched down on the roof of the school not a minute later.

“Thanks for your help, Monarch,” she said, pulling out her yo-yo once more. “We couldn’t have done it without you.”

 _Any time,_ Monarch replied.

“You know, you should join Chat and I for patrol sometime,” Ladybug pressed. “We’d be happy to meet up with you in person for once.”

 _Maybe sometime soon, but not tonight._ Ladybug could feel Monarch’s restraint as easily as she could feel his good will. _You know how it is with you and Chat…_

“Of course,” Ladybug replied, opening her yo-yo. “Whenever you’re ready, we’ll be there.”

She felt Monarch smile. _Until next time, Ladybug._

With that, the butterfly flew from her yo-yo and vanished from view.

Ladybug de-transformed, and Marinette rushed down the stairs, smiling all the way. She was only a minute late for class, after all.

* * *

In the basement of the very same building, a caped figure tapped his cane and sighed, “Wings fall.”

With a flash of violet, Monarch’s cape and costume gave way to reveal a tall boy with black hair, in a blue hoodie. In his hands, a tiny purple form coalesced.

“You okay, Nooroo?” the boy asked, holding the kwami close.

Nooroo smiled tiredly. “I’m fine, Master. Just a little tired, is all.”

“I told you to stop calling me master,” the boy smiled back. “Quentin is fine.”

“Very well, Quentin,” Nooroo replied. “But I’d like to rest a bit, if that’s all right.”

“Of course, you’ve earned it.” Quentin stooped to the ground and picked up a navy blue backpack, opening the zipper. “Here you are,” he said, allowing the kwami to slip inside. “Could you just call your friends back here? Then you can have a nice nap and a juice box.”

“At once M-I mean Quentin,” Nooroo said, then closed his eyes as the mark on his forehead glowed.

Quentin zipped up his backpack and headed up the stairs to the deserted schoolyard. He paused, waiting, until three white butterflies floated down from the sky. Smiling, he opened his backpack, and one by one, the creatures flew inside. Quentin peered in to see the butterflies nestled comfortably in their blanket, and Nooroo happily sipping juice from a straw.

“All right, you guys have fun while I’m in class,” he said.

Nooroo nodded, but paused in his slurping. “Quentin, if I may ask,” he began, “why don’t you want to meet Ladybug and Chat Noir in person? You’ve been their ally for most of a year now; I’m sure they’d love to meet you.”

Quentin sighed. “We’ve talked about this, Nooroo, I just don’t know. I’ve been getting better at talking to people in their minds, thanks to you, but in person…”

“In person, you’re the same Monarch who’s saved them twenty-two times, all while telling horrible jokes,” Nooroo countered. “They’ve gotten to know you, Quentin. The real you. It can’t hurt to let it show.”

Quentin smiled thoughtfully. “I’ll think about it.”

He zipped his pack once more, casting one more smile at the sky before walking to the door. His next class wasn’t for another fifteen minutes – he was in no rush.

  _\- The end… for now. -_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone who took the time to read this. If you're interested in how Monarch came to be, please please PLEASE let me know. If people want to read it, I'll write Monarch's origin story. Hell, I might just write it anyway, but I'd really appreciate any thoughts you have. They keep me going, you know? 
> 
> Thanks again, and good night :)


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